


Tears And Special Occasions

by starshipslytherin



Series: Jegulus writing [8]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Fluff, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Tears, Wine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-15
Updated: 2017-09-15
Packaged: 2018-12-30 03:58:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12100221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starshipslytherin/pseuds/starshipslytherin
Summary: James had no idea what kind of "special occasion" his lover kept talking about until he saw a small black box.





	Tears And Special Occasions

Despite the already red and yellow leaves of the apple trees, it was a warm night, warm but not sultry. It was dark, and the light of the tiny glowing dots in the distance that were either stars or fireflies shone as golden as the small lanterns that levitated over the wooden table. A glass bowl on it was only half full of crisps, and a glass of peanuts had been tipped over by accident, spilling what was left of its contents on the floor.  
With a flick of his wand, James Potter cleaned up the mess and casually put it back into his pocket, then cast a look over his shoulder at the white bungalow, frowning, one hand wandering up to his messy black hair and ruffling it distractedly. He had just returned his attention to the treats when a second figure emerged from the house, dressed entirely in dark, flowing robes and holding two glasses of red wine. As if James had sensed their presence, he stood up and faced them.  
"Regulus", he said brightly, putting on a bad posh accent. "I was going to complain about your absence, as I had been awaiting your return feverishly since you announced twenty minutes ago that you were merely going to relieve yourself. However, I noticed that you brought drinks. Alcoholic drinks. All woes are forgotten."  
"That behaviour of yours is preposterous, love." Regulus handed one glass to the other man and smirked.  
"Thank you", the latter said smilingly, clearly a bit flattered.  
"I have a feeling that the true meaning of the word surpasses your understanding. Cheers." He held up his glass, grinning.  
"Cheers, darling. And preposterous means brilliant."  
Regulus, who had just been about to take a sip from his drink, paused and raised an eyebrow. "It really doesn't. What made you think so?"  
James shrugged, his expression smug. "Pads told me all the years and years back in Hogwarts. He said Professor McGonagall had called one of his ideas preposterous. He said it was a brilliant idea."  
The younger man snorted. "As brilliantly present as my brother's oversized ego. - Do you know what ludicrous means?"  
"Of course I do. It means ridiculous."  
"And preposterous. Preposterous means ridiculous."  
"Ohhh", James said with a look of dawning realisation. "Well, that's another perspective to look at your brother's ideas, right?"  
Regulus chuckled fondly. "Right."  
"Wow, we're being classy tonight."  
"We are." He took a sip from his wine, James doing the same. "It's a special occasion, after all."  
"What do you mean?", James asked. "What's the occasion? No kids this whole week? Holidays and just the two of us and this bungalow and stars and fireflies and autumn? And lots of shagging?" He winked.  
"All good things come to us in autumn", his lover said vaguely, biting his lower lip.  
"Which means?"  
"I love you, you see", Regulus said sincerely.  
"And I love you. Very much. Infinitely, even."  
The younger one sighed, lightly pulling James towards the lanterns at his sleeve. "James. Remember how much we fought? For all of this. And - it took us nearly two decades, but we have it all now. And even more. We've been through everything a couple can go through and we're stronger than before. These past years - we've been one. We're not whole, but together, we're invincible, and -", he put his glass on the table and traced the other man's jawline with his index finger, "we have created something amazing. Our family is a miracle. And I know that I will love you beyond the end of time no matter how sappy that may sound, and that you are my destiny, James Potter. So I think that this -", he pulled out a small black box, "- is it for me. For us."  
"What? Are you -"  
"I am", Regulus breathed, then slowly got down on one knee, holding the box open to reveal a set of silver rings. "Will you marry me, James?"  
The Gryffindor exhaled shakily, clearly overwhelmed. "Wow", he whispered, bending down slightly and cupping his parnter's face softly with one hand.  
Regulus's voice was already shaking and his lip trembling. "Jamie, I - if you're not -"  
"But of course! Of course I will marry you, Reggie. I just - never thought I'd ever be proposed to. By the most perfect being in the world. My everything. Okay? Don't - please don't cry now, okay? Reg? I'm saying yes, I said yes, and we're getting married. Yes, yes, yes. Please, dear, stop - stop crying now -" He pulled the slightly shorter man to his feet and held him close, fingers digging into the soft black fabric of his robes and his silky dark hair while he was sobbing into his shoulder. "Shh. Everything's alright."  
"I know. And I'm so bloody happy. I was so scared you might say no and I'd lose you -"  
"You won't lose me, Reggie. Not again. I promised, remember? I love you way too much."  
Regulus sniffed. "Okay."  
"Let's raise our glasses, shall we? Huh, darling?", James whispered softly.  
"I'm sorry I'm such a mess again - I wanted to be so smooth -" He raised his head and looked at his new fiancé, who brushed a teardrop off his cheek with his thumb. "Sometimes I just can't help it. I just wanted to be smooth and romantic for once -"  
"And you were. You were until I said nothing. I should have said yes right away. But it doesn't matter. You're still perfect."  
"I'm not", Regulus mumbled.  
"Shut up. You are. If you weren't just right, you wouldn't be you. But you are, that's why I love you."  
Regulus huffed. "That whole statement made no sense whatsoever", he smiled, wiping his face dry with the back of his hand.  
"Nothing about me makes sense. That's why you love me."  
"You wouldn't be James if you made any sense", Regulus retorted, who was now back to being as composed as ever despite his slightly puffy eyes, but grinning.  
"Yet, you get me."  
"That's why I'm Regulus, right? Because I get you."  
"You get me." He softly pecked his lover's nosetip.  
The latter hummed calmly. "The rings, Jamie."  
"Right, right."  
And in the golden light of the lanterns and the fireflies and the stars, they almost reverentially slid the sliver rings onto each other's fingers, smilingly coyly.  
"To us and our future", James said, raising his glass.  
"To us and our future." Regulus did the same.  
They tasted the sweet red wine on each other's lips all night.  
Autumn brought good things to them, after all.


End file.
